• General information
• Course overview
• Course policies
• Deliverables and marking scheme

CPSC 444 is the second component in the two -course sequence of 344 and 444.

This course builds on the design process presented in CPSC 344 and focuses on the underlying models of the user used in human-computer interaction (including visual, motor, and information processing), the theory of and advanced methods for design and evaluation (including laboratory experiments and field studies), and research frontiers (including Computer Supported Cooperative Work). The main deliverable is a team project in which students will apply the material taught both in this course as well as in CPSC 344.

444 is structured similarly to 344. That is, it uses a combination of formal lectures, Problem-Based Sessions (tutorials) in which additional content is introduced by TAs in interactive, small-group sessions held in the CS Department's HCI Learning Studio (X360); and 2 hours of lab time, predominantly for team project work.

Upon completion of this course, students will:

• have knowledge of models of the user and how they apply to the design of user interfaces

• be familiar with the variety of techniques and methods for interface design, evaluation, and analysis

• have experience designing and running a field study and performing qualitative data analysis

• have experience designing and running a controlled experiment and performing quantitative data analysis

• have experience working with video in an HCI context: (1) to capture user data, and (2) to create a project video

• have experience with some sophisticated tools for interface prototyping and analysis and user observation

• be familiar with research issues in HCI

• have enough background to apply these principles and practices in industry, and to continue to further education and research in this area 

• have experience reading research papers and identifying the contribution of those papers

• have honed their team skills through the completion of an iterative design term project

In addition to all university rules, regulations, and academic guidelines, the following policies will hold in CS444:

• Attendance and prompt arrival is expected at all lectures, tutorials and labs. Quiz, assignment and team project marks will suffer from absences. A doctor's note is required to substantiate any illness.

• There will be no makeup for the midterm. The final exam will absorb the midterm's component of the grade, should the midterm be missed. Note: no midterm in 2011.

• A student must pass the final exam in order to pass the course.

• To request that a deliverable be fully or partially re-graded:  the request must be submitted in writing (not via email and not verbally) and the full copy of the deliverable must be resubmitted together with the written request within 2 weeks of receiving the grade. We reserve the right to re-grade the entire deliverable. 

• Use of laptop computers during lectures is prohibited, except for note taking.

• Use of laptop or desktop computers in tutorial:
  • during quizzes - is prohibited
  • after quizzes - only allowed for tutorial related activity

• Late assignments or project components will receive no credit. You are free to submit them, and we may review them during marking. However, your mark for the late work will be 0.

Contact the instructor or your TA promptly (i.e., as soon as you are aware of the problem) if a medical or family reason prevents you or your team from handing a project component in on time.

In other extraordinary circumstances, we may allow late turn-in if you contact cs444@cs.ubc.ca with a clear explanation of the problem well in advance of the dealine (i.e., at least 48 hours). (Note: poor planning or procrastination do not constitute extraodrinary circumstances.)